Magnetic resonance angiography derived predictors of progressive dilatation and surgery of the aortic root in Marfan syndrome.

Background: To identify magnetic resonance (MR) angiography derived predictors of progressive dilatation and surgery of the aortic root in Marfan syndrome.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively included 111 patients (32.7±16.

Acute, isolated and unstable syndesmotic injuries are frequently associated with intra-articular pathologies.

Purpose: Although simultaneous arthroscopy for the surgical treatment of acute isolated, unstable syndesmotic injuries has been recommended, little knowledge is present about the actual frequency of intra-articular pathologies for this injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and severity of intra-articular pathologies detected during arthroscopy and their subsequent treatment in acute isolated, unstable syndesmotic injuries.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients treated by arthroscopic-assisted stabilization for acute isolated, syndesmotic instability was performed.

Feasibility of sub-milliSievert CT of the cervical spine: Initial results in fresh human cadavers.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of sub-milliSievert CT of the cervical spine in fresh human cadavers using a standard-dose (SD) and four different reduced-dose (RD) protocols reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR).

Methods: The cervical spine of 29 cadavers was examined using different RDCT protocols with decreasing reference tube currents (RDCT-1:70 mAs; RDCT-2:50 mAs; RDCT-3:30 mAs; RDCT-4:10 mAs) at 140 kV. A clinical SDCT (160 mAs, 120 kV) served as reference.

Preoperative evaluation of pelvine lymph node metastasis in high risk prostate cancer with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI.

Objectives: To evaluate benign and malignant pelvine lymph nodes in prostate cancer patients with biexponential intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI of the prostate prior to radical prostatectomy.

Methods: The ethics committee approved this retrospective study with waiver of informed consent. From February 2012 to November 2013 43 patients with histopathologically proven prostatic cancer were included.

Prediction of Meniscal and Ligamentous Injuries in Lateral Tibial Plateau Fractures Based on Measurements of Lateral Plateau Widening on Multidetector Computed Tomography Scans.

Background: The influence of increasing lateral plateau widening on the frequency of meniscal and ligamentous lesions in lateral tibial plateau fractures has been examined in very few studies using plain radiographs. Because the amount of this parameter cannot be measured accurately on plain radiographs, the purpose of this survey was to look for a possible correlation between the extent of lateral plateau widening, as measured on multidetector CT (MDCT) scans, and different soft-tissue injuries determined from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: 55 patients with a lateral tibial plateau fracture were included in this retrospective case series.

T2 relaxation times of the anterolateral femoral cartilage in patients after ACL-reconstruction with and without a deep lateral femoral notch sign.

Purpose: To quantitatively assess T2 relaxation times of the anterolateral femoral cartilage following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-reconstruction with and without a positive deep lateral femoral notch sign (DLNS) at post-traumatic MRI.

Materials And Methods: In 52 patients post-traumatic MRI as well as 12 months after ACL-rupture (ACLR) and surgical treatment were analysed. In 28 patients a positive DLNS was present at post-traumatic MRI.

Inter- and Intraobserver reproducibility of T2 relaxation times of the discus interpubicus: A feasibility study at 3 Tesla.

Objective: To quantify standard values of the discus interpubicus in healthy subjects and to determine reliability and repeatability using T2 relaxation time measurements at 3T.

Methods: 20 asymptomatic participants (10 male, 10 female; mean age: 27.3 years ±4.

Iterative Model Reconstruction (IMR) in MDCT Below 2 mSv for the Detection of Urinary Calculi: Diagnostic Accuracy and Image Quality in Comparison to Filtered Back-Projection and 4th Generation Iterative Reconstruction (iDose4).

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of iterative model reconstruction (IMR) on reader confidence with respect to stone detection and image quality in comparison to filtered back-projection (FBP) and iDose level 4 (iDose4) in abdominal MDCT with radiation doses below 2 mSv.

Materials And Methods: For 32 consecutive patients with suspected ureteral stone disease, the raw data of unenhanced 256 slice MDCT (120 kV, 40 reference mAs, mean CTDIvol: 2.7 ± 0.

Non-contrast MR angiography at 1.5 Tesla for aortic monitoring in Marfan patients after aortic root surgery.

Background: Contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance angiography (CE-CMRA) is the established imaging modality for patients with Marfan syndrome requiring life-long annual aortic imaging before and after aortic root replacement. Contrast-free CMRA techniques avoiding side-effects of contrast media are highly desirable for serial imaging but have not been evaluated in the postoperative setup of Marfan patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of non-contrast balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) magnetic resonance imaging for aortic monitoring of postoperative patients with Marfan syndrome.

Quantitative T * relaxation time analysis of articular cartilage of the tibiotalar joint in professional football players and healthy volunteers at 3T MRI.

Purpose: To compare T * relaxation times of the tibiotalar cartilage between professional football players and matched healthy male volunteers.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-two ankles of professional football players (24.3 ± 3.

Comparison of image quality and visibility of normal and abnormal findings at submillisievert chest CT using filtered back projection, iterative model reconstruction (IMR) and iDose™.

Objective: To compare both image quality and visibility of normal and abnormal findings at submillisievert chest CT (smSv-CT) using filtered back projection (FBP) and the two different iterative reconstruction (IR) techniques iterative model reconstruction (IMR) and iDose™.

Materials And Methods: This institutional review board approved study was based on retrospective interpretation of clinically indicated acquired data. The requirement to obtain informed consent was waived.

CT Pulmonary Angiography at Reduced Radiation Exposure and Contrast Material Volume Using Iterative Model Reconstruction and iDose4 Technique in Comparison to FBP.

Purpose: To assess image quality of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) at reduced radiation exposure (RD-CTPA) and contrast medium (CM) volume using two different iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms (iDose4 and iterative model reconstruction (IMR)) in comparison to filtered back projection (FBP).

Materials And Methods: 52 patients (body weight < 100 kg, mean BMI: 23.9) with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) underwent RD-CTPA (tube voltage: 80 kV; mean CTDIvol: 1.

The immediate effect of long-distance running on T2 and T2* relaxation times of articular cartilage of the knee in young healthy adults at 3.0 T MR imaging.

Objective: To quantitatively assess the immediate effect of long-distance running on T2 and T2* relaxation times of the articular cartilage of the knee at 3.0 T in young healthy adults.

Methods: 30 healthy male adults (18-31 years) who perform sports at an amateur level underwent an initial MRI at 3.

High incidence of osteochondral lesions after open reduction and internal fixation of displaced ankle fractures: Medium-term follow-up of 100 cases.

Background: The incidence of osteochondral lesions (OCLs) in association with displaced ankle fractures has only been examined in two previous studies. In both studies magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed prior to open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Because MRI may overdiagnose or overestimate the extent of OCLs in an acute trauma setting the aim of this study was to determine the incidence of OCLs after ORIF of displaced ankle fractures using MRI at medium-term follow-up, and to analyse if the severity of fracture or the clinical outcome correlates with the incidence of OCLs.

Intraindividual comparison of image quality using retrospective and prospective respiratory gating for the acquisition of thin sliced four dimensional multidetector CT of the thorax in a porcine model.

Purpose: To intraindividually compare image quality and anatomical depiction of the lung and mediastinum using retrospective and prospective respiratory gating techniques for the acquisition of 4D-multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the chest in a porcine model.

Materials And Methods: Twelve trachealy intubated domestic pigs underwent 64-row MDCT of the thorax. For retrospective and prospective gating the automated respiratory frequency was adjusted to 10, 14, 18, and 22 respiratory cycles per minute.

Structures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LpxA Reveal the Basis for Its Substrate Selectivity.

In Gram-negative bacteria, the first step of lipid A biosynthesis is catalyzed by UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase (LpxA) through the transfer of a R-3-hydroxyacyl chain from the acyl carrier protein (ACP) to the 3-hydroxyl group of UDP-GlcNAc. Previous studies suggest that LpxA is a critical determinant of the acyl chain length found in lipid A, which varies among species of bacteria. In Escherichia coli and Leptospira interrogans, LpxA prefers to incorporate longer R-3-hydroxyacyl chains (C14 and C12, respectively), whereas in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the enzyme is selective for R-3-hydroxydecanoyl, a 10-hydrocarbon long acyl chain.

Perspectives on the revised Ghent criteria for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.

Three international nosologies have been proposed for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS): the Berlin nosology in 1988; the Ghent nosology in 1996 (Ghent-1); and the revised Ghent nosology in 2010 (Ghent-2). We reviewed the literature and discussed the challenges and concepts of diagnosing MFS in adults. Ghent-1 proposed more stringent clinical criteria, which led to the confirmation of MFS in only 32%-53% of patients formerly diagnosed with MFS according to the Berlin nosology.

Reduced-dose abdominopelvic CT using hybrid iterative reconstruction in suspected left-sided colonic diverticulitis.

Objectives: To assess the effect of hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) and filtered back projection (FBP) on abdominopelvic CT with reduced-dose (RD-APCT) in the evaluation of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis (ALCD).

Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients with suspected ALCD who underwent RD-APCT (mean CTDIvol 11.2 ± 4.

Comparison of conventional radiography and MDCT in suspected scaphoid fractures.

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose of conventional radiography and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in suspected scaphoid fractures.

Methods: One hundred twenty-four consecutive patients were enrolled in our study who had suffered from a wrist trauma and showed typical clinical symptoms suspicious of an acute scaphoid fracture. All patients had initially undergone conventional radiography.

Exact monitoring of aortic diameters in Marfan patients without gadolinium contrast: intraindividual comparison of 2D SSFP imaging with 3D CE-MRA and echocardiography.

Purpose: To assess whether ECG-gated non-contrast 2D steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging allows for exact monitoring of aortic diameters in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients using non-ECG-gated contrast-enhanced 3D magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) and echocardiography for intraindividual comparison.

Methods: Non-ECG-gated CE-MRA and ECG-gated non-contrast SSFP at 1.5 T were prospectively performed in 50 patients.

Radiologically hyperdense zones of the patella seem to be partial osteonecroses subsequent to fracture treatment.

The blood supply to the proximal patella is provided primarily via intraosseous vessels from the inferior patella. Two vascular systems within the patella are distinguished: Tiny arteries penetrate the middle third of the anterior patellar surface via vascular foramina and continue in a proximal direction. Additional vessels enter the patella at its distal pole, between the patellar ligament and the articular surface, and also run proximally.